Wall construction



June 15, 1965 J. w. SCHNELLER ETAL 3,188,773

WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 24, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 2

28 INVENTORS Joseph W. Schneller David A. Harris 3 BY Rodney G. Buergin June 1965 J. w. SCHNELLER ETAL 3,188,773

WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 24, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 f )oooO-oooo-ouoooooooo 34 j um. /IO I f as NVENTORS Joseph W. chneller David A. Harris BY Rodney G. Buergin June 15, 1965 J. W. SCHNELLER ETAL WALL CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 24, 1960 Fig. 7

Fig. IO

gNVENTORS Joseph W. chneller David A. Harris BY Rodney G. Buergin 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS Joseph W. Schneller David A. Harris Rodney G. Buergin June 15, 1965 J. w. SCHNELLER ETAL WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 24, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. I?

NVENTORS Joseph W. chneller David A. Harris Rodney G. Buergin June 1965 J. w. SCHNELLER ETAL WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 24, 1960 United States Patent 3,188,773 WALL CUNSTRUC'IIGN Ioseph W. Schneller, Eggertsville, David A. Harris, Kenmore, and Rodney G. Buergin, Tonawanda, N.Y., assignors to National Gypsum Company, Buffalo, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Fiied Aug. 24, 1960, Ser. No. 51,620 Claims. (Cl. 50-446) ing no form of studs, and hollow partitions, normally including a plurality of separate studs at spaced positions therealong to which the material of the two opposed partition faces are attached.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hollow partition having gypsum wallboard wherein the gypsum wallboard includes portions thereof providing the function of studs.

It is a further object thereof to provide an improved hollowpartition of markedly simplified erection.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel hollow partition at substantially reduced costs of materials as well as labor. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent when considered in relation to the preferred embodiment as set forth in the specification and shown in the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a section of plastered partition wall constructed in accordance with the invention, portions being shown broken away.

FIG; 2 is a sectional view taken on line Z2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational of a drywall partition wall partially constructed in accordance with the invention. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is an end sectional view of the gypsum board framing element of FIG. 1 in collapsed form for storage and shipment.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of an end corner section of the framing elements of FIGS. 1 and 4.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the metal corner clip of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a modified corner clip formed of wire.

FIG. 10 is an end sectional view at a ceiling juncture of the framing elements of FIGS. 1 and 4.

FIG. 11 is an end sectional view at a floor juncture of the partition of FIG. 1.

, FIG. 12 is an isometric view of one of the floor runners of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a sectional plan view of a corner of partition constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 14 is a front elevational of a doorway in a partition wall constructed in accordance with the invention, portions being shown broken away.

FIG. 15 is a sectional plan view of the door buck section taken on line 1515 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is an isometric View of a modified section of a partition framing element for use around electrical conduits.

FIG. 17 is a sectional plan view of a modified joint "ice section of partition framing elements in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 18 is a sectional plan view of a further modified joint section of partition framing elements in accordance with the invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown a building floor 10 and ceiling 12 with a section of plastered, hollow partition wall 14 extending therebetween. Wall 14 consists of a plurality of vertically extending folded gypsum board hollow boxes 16 centrally aligned and abutted end to end along the extent of wall 14, providing the sole framing means of the wall 14, and having coated on both of the opposed faces of the boxes 16 a normal set gypsum plaster wall surface 18. Narrow expanded metal lath strips 20 are aflixed, as by stapling, over the joints between boxes 16 for firm retention of the plaster surface 18 at the joints.

The vertically extending gypsum board boxes 16 are each made from a single paper covered gypsum board, with the commonly known set gypsum core 22 enclosed in paper liners 24, 26 on the two opposed faces thereof. The boxes are formed by partially severing the gypsum boards along three spaced parallel lines or cuts 28, leaving the inner paper liner 24 unsevered to function as a hinge along each cut, in folding the gypsum board into elongate hollow boxes. The cuts 28 are spaced to form alternately narrow stud sections 30 and relatively wider facing sections 32, the width of the stud sections 30 being predetermined in accordance with the thickness of the partition desired, as will be fully discussed below.

In the plastered wall 14, with boxes 16 disposed in abutting relation continuously therealong, stud sections 30 of two adjacent boxes 16 are disposed flush, one with the other, having the lateral direction of the stud sections 30 perpendicular to the general plane of the wall 14.

Stud section reinforcing nails 33, preferably four 10- penny boxnails at least every 24 inches of vertical extent of abutting stud sections 30, are toe-nailed through the four adjoining facing sections 32 into the combined two abutting stud sections 30, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The invention is also shown embodied in a dry-wall type partition wall 34, in FIGS. 4 and 5, erected vertically between floor 10 and ceiling 12. Wall 34 consists of a plurality of vertically extending folded gypsum board hollow boxes 16, completely similar in structure to the boxes 16 of FIGS. 1 to 3. In the wall 34, the boxes 16 are centrally aligned along the extent of wall 34, spaced apart one from another a distance substantially equal to the width of the facing sections 32 of the boxes, whereby the narrow stud sections 30 are disposed in equally spaced relation along the extent of wall 34. Standard paper covered, gypsum core gypsum wallboards 36 are adhesively laminated to the two opposite outwardly directed faces of the boxes 16, with the end joints of wallboards meeting on alternate boxes, as shown in FIG. 4. All joints of wallboards 36 may be treated in the usual manner, not shown, with wallboard joint tape and joint cement to conceal the joints, as is well known in the art.

In the preferred embodiments of the invention shown, the unsevered paper liner 24, of the boxes 16, is reinforced by pounds per 3,000 square foot weight, pre-gummed, kraft paper reinforcing strips 38 adhesively laminated along areas whereat the board has cuts 28. A strip 38 is also adhesively secured to the liner at the two side edges 40 extending across the joint thereof, affixing the two side edges in adjoining relation. In the present embodiment two strips 38 per box 16, each wider than the stud section 30, each provide reinforcement at the two hinges of each respective stud section 30. There is thus formed a single, unitary, closed construction of the box 16, which is readily collapsiblefor compactness in shipping, as shown in FIG. 6, when not fixed and stabilized as described below, in the open box form of FIGS. 2 and 5;

jAs seen in FIGS, 3, 6 and j7, the facing section 32 which includes a side edge- 40, is slightly wider than the other; facing section 32 of each respective box, preferably by a difference equal to about of the thickness of the stud section against which the wider facing section abuts in the opened, rectangular box form, providing an overlapping of the wider facing section onto the edge of the stud section, forbetter transfer of loadsor stresses from each one suchsection to theother. 1

The above-described .folded gypsum board lhollow box 16 will accordingly be seen to beequally well de scribed; asan elongateopen-ended foldable unitary wall elongate flexible sheet material or reinforcing, strips 38;

In particular, it will-be seen that the separate" sections 30, 32,} adjoined along their respective-elongate side edges by the common innerface paper liner 24, are not ("I in any way adjoined by the gypsum core 22 or outer-liner 26, however,'the junction of sections by the inner face paper liner is preferably reinforced byreinforcing strips 38, adhesively secured to the exposed face'of'the inner v face paper liner 24.

In FIG.'7 there is seen an end cornerof a gypsum board box 16 with two formed, sheetmetaL corner clips 42, slidably aliixe d'; onto adjoining stud and facing sec:

tions 30, 32, one'at each corner in FIG.- -7. Clip 42,

seen alone in FIG.-,8 --inclu des two perpendicularly disposed board-edge-receiving pockets 44, '44, The'bottom.

wall 46 of each pocket has a pointed knockout-f8 bent into the pocket for penetration intothegypsum core 22 of the box; An alternative, but generally similar, wire I clip 50 is shown in FIG. 9, also including two perpendic a y sp se rbo d r e j ns P k t '52- use of clips may be completelyavoided bythe insertion and aflixing, as by nails,; of a suitable small b ock of wood, not shown, within the opening; of thebox, at

In'the preferred embodiment, a'clip 42, is attached to each corner of the box 16, at both ends of the box 16, requiring 8 clips per box. The clips 42 are attached immediately prior to erection, on a job site, and *have been found to provide completely sufiicient stability'to' the box structure during the immediately subsequent application of either the plaster surface 18 or the wallboards .36. On completion of the partition construction, the'plaster surface 18, or the wal1boardsi36, provide complete stability to the novel folded gypsumboardboxes 16 within the partition, providing a cooperative relationtherebetween wherein the continuous wall facing structure prevents movement of the facing sections32, by otherwise possible slight folding; actions atcuts 28;

4 sideand rubber base cove 64 on the opposite side. The metal-base 62 is attached by means of known base attaching clips 66, as in US. Patent 2,358,277 of J. I. Manofsky. The box 10 is disposed on and retained in position relative to the floor 10, by a pair of oppositely disposed elongate base runners '68, which are aflixed to 'floor 10'by nails 56 prior to mounting of boxes 16. A short extent of runner 68, seen. clearly in FIG. 12, in-

cludes a fiat bottom 70, with nail holes 72, to be disposed under .boxes 16, a vertical central flange 74 extending upwardly from bottom .70, for engaging the bottom edge of the outwardly directed faces of boxes 16,-and an outwardly directed top flange 76 to provide a ledge for wallboard 36 in drywall construction, or a screed for applying plaster in a plastered wall construction. FIG. 13 is a sectional plan view of a partition corner constructed in accordance with the invention, wherein two perpendicularly disposed boxes 16 are afiixe'd together with a stud section 30 of one box abutting a facing section 32'of a second box along the edge thereof. i

An elongate, L shaped,' runner 54, as used for ceiling attachment, is attached bystaples 58, one flange to one box and the other flange to, the other box. A metal lath strip 20 is attached over the one flat jointformed, and elongate cornerbead 78, inanycommonly available form, is attached as by staplingoverand along. the outside 7 corner. A plaster surface 18 encases theboxes 16 therethroughout. g

V FIGS,'14 and-15 show the manner in which a, standard metal door frame 80 is combined with the partition of the invention. Door frames .80, with two vertical sections 82 and an overheadysection 84, all of the ,usual preformed outwardly opening channel form, with a .channelopening equal injvvidth to thethickness of boxes 16, are mounted betweentwo spaced apart, room height boxes 16 whereat' a doorway is desired. The, boxes 16 extend partiallyinto the verticalsections 82 of the door frame,

and inwardly thereof the frame is fully grouted,'as

shown, with a plaster grout 86u Short sections of boxes '16 are then inserted into the overhead section 84v of the door frame 80, which-mayalso be grouted.-

, FIGS. 16 and 17 show modified forms of the invention wherein a modified three-sidedfolded gypsum, board box 90, either manufactured in such three sided form, or made by the removal of a side edge portionof a box 16.' The three-sided box is fixed inan open-box form by affixing to the edges 92, 92 of the two facing sections 94, 94 a plurality of spaced apart.;formed sheetmetal edge-spacing clips 96, FIG. 16. Alternatively, the edges. 92 may be fixed in the proper spaced relation by disposing the edges overlapping about a stud section 30'of an adjacent box as in FIG. 17. Stud section reinforcing'nails33 are preferably toe-nailed into the box stud section 30;

In FIG. 10 a vertical crosssection of the ceiling juncture of wall 14, without the pla ster surface,fshows the preferred manner ofafiixing in a building the top edges of the box 16. An elongate, L-shaped-,;meta1-' ceiling runner 54 is afiixed to the ceiling 12, as by nails 56, and thetop end of' open formedbox l6 is afiixed'against the downwardly extending flange of the runner 54 with common fence staples 58. 1 Elongate strips of cornerite 60, which are elongate strips of expanded metal formed into :an L.-shape, are attached to the ceiling and boxalong the top edge opposite the runner 54, when a plaster surface 18 is to be applied to thebox 16. in a drywall application, such as FIG.4,-the one runner 54 is used in mounting the boxes 16 and on completion of the wall, moulding strips-,'not show sides of the wall at the ceilingsv Y 7 FIG. 11 show "a vertical cross sectionof wall 14, at the junction with floor 10, with metal .base 62 on one 11, may be applied to both V The three-sided box may be used, 'as a necessity, in combination with the four sided boxes 16, when fitting boxes around utilities, such as the electrical fittings 98 shown in FIG. 16. Alternatively,'the three sided boxes may be used completely throughouta partition, in the form shown in FIG. '17. The three sided box structure, having substantially. closed joints, is also particularly adapted for use as a substantially complete partition of itself without a further plaster or wallboard surfacing, but merely, by way of example, applying tape to the joints or a wallpaper to the entire surface.

A further modified form of the box 100 is shown in 1 1G518, wherein'stud sections 102 are formed along the centerline of a single 'paperzcovered gypsum. board 104 by the severing of the paper liner 106 on one side of the board at one edge 108 of the stud section 102 and the severing of the opposite. paper liner 110 at the other edge 112 of the stud' section, fracturingthe core, also,'along each edge 108,. 112, whereby the unsevered paper, or hinge, at each respective edge is on an opposite side of theboard-104. I Reinforcing strips 38 are adhesively laminated over the unsevered paper at the two stud section edges 108, 112. In erecting a partition with boards 104, the board is bent in the two opposite directions at the edges of the stud section 102, until the stud section is perpendicular to the two planes of the oppositely directed facing sections 114, and corner clips 42 are afiixed to the board ends at the junctions of the facing sections 114 and stud section 102. The modified box 100 is provided by erecting the thus folded boards 104 in overlapping relation wherein each stud section 102 of one board 104 has overlapped on one edge a facing section of an adjacent board 104, and overlapped on the other edge a facing section of another adjacent board 104 on the opposite side thereof, all as shown in FIG. 18. Reinforcing nails 33 extend through the facing sections 114 into the stud section 102. A plaster surface 18, and/ or wallboard 36, are applied over the modified boxes 100.

Having completed a detailed disclosure of the preferred embodiments of our invention so that those skilled in the art may practice the same, we contemplate that variations may be made without departing from the essence of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An elongate open-ended foldable utility wall supporting core structure comprising four parallel, rectangular elongate sections of flat gypsum board, each said section having two parallel elongate side edges, paper liner bonded to the gypsum core on each of the two opposed faces of each section, forming on each section an inner face liner and an outer face liner, exposed gypsum core on both the elongate side edges of two sections and on at least one side edge of each of the other two sections, the said four sections being adjoined along the elongate side edges to form a unitary hollow tube foldable to an open rectangular cross section with said inner face paper liner on the four sections forming the inner surface of said tube, the side edges of said inner face paper liners of each section each adjoined to an adjacent section inner face paper liner side edge, the remaining two elongate side edges of said other two sections being adjacent one another and adjoined solely by an elongate flexible sheet material affixed to the edge portions of the respective inner face liners of said other two sections and spanning the junction therebetween, the said section side edges having exposed gypsum being adjoined to adjacent sections substantially solely by means of said inner face liner on said sections being a single continuous paper common to all said four sections and forming flexible joints therebetween, said gypsum core of each section having a substantially uniform thickness throughout the extent of each section to provide uniform rigidity and strength throughout each section and the maximum ability of each section to transfer stresses to and from adjacent sections, said core structure being foldable to a flat, compact form for shipment and to an open rectangular cross section tube form for erection as a partition wall core.

2. A wall supporting core structure as defined in claim 1, wherein reinforcing strips of flexible sheet material are adhesively laminated to said inner face liner at said flexible joints.

3. A wall structure comprising a plurality of horizontally aligned, vertically disposed, elongate, open-ended unitary hollow wall supporting core structures, disposed centrally along the extent of said wall structure, said hollow wall supporting core structures consisting of four parallel, rectangular, elongate sections of fiat gypsum board, each having two parallel, elongate side edges, paper liner bonded to the gypsum core on each of the two opposed faces of each section forming on each section an inner face liner and an outer face liner, exposed gypsum core on both the eltfngate side edges of two sections and on at least one side edge of each of the other two sections, the said four sections being adjoined along the elongate side edges to form a unitary hollow tube foldable to an open rectangular cross section with said inner face paper liner on the four sections forming the inner surface of said tube, the side edges of said inner face paper liners of each section each adjoined to an adjacent section inner face paper liner side edge, the remaining to elongate side edges of said other two sections being adjacent one another and adjoined solely by an elongate flexible sheet material affixed to the edge portions of the respective inner face liners of said other two sections and spanning the junction therebetween, the said section side edges having exposed gypsum being adjoined to adjacent sections substantially solely by means of said inner face liner on said sections being a single continuous paper common to all said four sections and forming flexible joints therebetween, said gypsum oore of each section having a substantially uniform thickness throughout the extent of each section to provide uniform rigidity and strength throughout each section and the maximum ability of each section to transfer stresses to and from adjacent sections, said wall core structures being rigidly aflixed at the bottom and top edges thereof to a building structure, said wall core structure being self-supporting intermediate of said botttom and top edges and providing the sole supporting means of said wall structure, and wall surface material disposed on the faces of said Wall core structure and adjoining said plurality of wall supporting core structures into a unitary wall structure.

4. A wall structure as defined in claim 3, wherein said wall core structures are disposed in abutting relationship, one to another, substantially throughout the extent of said wall structure, and wherein said abutted wall core structures have a set gypsum plaster wall surface coated thereon, forming thereon a continuous, monolithic, finished wall surface.

5. A wall structure as defined in claim 3, wherein said wall core structures have exposed wall boards affixed to the said Wall core structures, whereby said wall core structures form a supporting core of said wall structure, and said wall boards form a continuous finished wall surface enclosing said plurality of wall core structures.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,070,813 8/13 Kentana 183 1,664,867 4/28 Strand 50378 1,775,234 9/30 Brostrom 50334 1,819,345 8/31 Thurman 50381 X 1,875,131 8/32 Pentland 50439 X 2,097,697 11/37 Marks 50142 X 2,157,688 5/39 Cascio 50334 2,187,959 1/40 Williams 50186 2,227,570 1/41 Burson 50482 X 2,344,749 3/44 Stevens 50334 2,745,277 5/56 Nelsson 50144 FOREIGN PATENTS 541,733 12/41 Great Britain.

648,809 1/51 Great Britain.

577,658 6/59 Canada.

EARL J. WITMER, Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Examiner. 

3. A WALL STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF HORIZONTALLY ALIGNED, VERTICLLY DISPOSED, ELONGATE, OPEN-ENDED UNITARY HOLLOW WALL SUPPORTING CORE STRUCTURES, DISPOSED CENTRALLY ALONG THE EXTENT OF SAID WALL STRUCTURE, SAID HOLLOW WALL SUPPORTING CORE STRUCTURES CONSISTING OF FOUR PARALLEL, RECTANGULAR, ELONGATE SECTIONS OF FLAT GYPSUM BOARD, EACH HAVING TWO PARALLEL, ELONGATE SIDE EDGES, PAPER LINER BONDED TO THE GYPSUM CORE ON EACH OF THE TWO OPPOSED FACES OF EACH SECTION FORMING ON EACH SECTION AN INNER FACE LINER AND AN OUTER FACE LINER, EXPOSED GYPSUM CORE ON BOTH THE ELONGATE SIDE EDGES OF TWO SECTIONS AND ON AT LEAST ONE SIDE EDGE OF EACH OF THE OTHER TWO SECTIONS, THE SAID FOUR SECTIONS BEING ADJOINED ALONG THE ELONGATE SIDE EDGES TO FORM A UNITARY HOLLOW TUBE FOLDABLE TO AN OPEN RECTANGULAR CROSS SECTION WITH SAID INNER SURFACE PAPER LINER ON THE FOUR SECTIONS FORMING THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID TUBE, THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID INNER FACE PAPER LINERS OF EACH SECTION EACH ADJOINED TO AN ADJACENT SECTION INNER FACE PAPER LINER SIDE EDGE, THE REMAINING TO ELONGATE SIDE EDGES OF SAID OTHER TWO SECTIONS BEING ADJACENT ONE ANOTHER AND ADJOINED SOLELY BY AN ELONGATE FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL AFFIXED TO THE EDGE PORTIONS AND SPANNING INNER FACE LINERS OF SAID OTHER TWO SECTIONS AND SPANNING THE JUNCTION THEREBETWEEN, THE SAID SECTION SIDE EDGES HAVSUBSTANTIALLY SOLELY BY MEANS OF SAID INNER FACE LINER ON SAID SECTIONS BEING A SINGLE CONTINUOUS PAPER COMMON TO ALL SAID FOUR SECTIONS AND FORMING FLEXIBLE JOINTS THEREBETWEEN, SAID GYPSUM CORE OF EACH SECTION HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM THICKNESS THROUGH THE EXTENT OF EACH SECTION TO PROVIDE UNIFORM RIGIDITY AND STRENGTH THROUGHOUT EACH SECTION AND THE MAXIMUM ABILITY OF EACH SECTION TO TRANSFER STRESSES TO AND ROM ADJACENT SECTIONS, SAID WALL CORE STRUCTURES BEING RIGIDLY AFFIXED AT THE BOTTOM AND TOP EDGES THEREOF TO A BUILDING STRUCTURE, SAID WALL CORE STRUCTURE BEING SELF-SUPPORTING INTERMEDIATE OF SAID BOTTOM AND TOP EDXGES AND PROVIDING THE SOLE SUPPORTING MEANS OF SAID WALL STRUCTURE, AND WALL SURFACE MATERIAL DISPOSED ON THE FACES OF SAID WALL CORE STRUCTURE AND ADJOINING SAID PLURALITY OF WALL SUPPORTING CORE STRUCTURES INTO A UNITARY WALL STRUCTURE. 